Experimental and Unisex Names for Boys

Adair has flair, the grace of a Fred Astaire. It's a Scottish surname which came from the first name Edgar.

Adrian is one of those names that’s easy to picture on all kinds of people. From an active and energetic five-year-old to your great grandpa, from the coolest, breeziest guy you know, to the quiet, serious one, it’s no wonder Adrian has always made the US Top 500 since the early 20th century.

Akira is a popular Japanese name for both sexes that's migrated to the West because of its appearance in manga and video games. Akiro is a related name popular for boys.

Akiva has a distinguished scholarly pedigree and a lovely meaning. Its softer sound is very on trend for masculine names at the moment and is in line with more familiar monikers like Ezra, Elijah and Theo.

One of the most extreme of the new word names, recommended only to the most mystical-minded parents. Actor Lance Henriksen spelled his daughter's name Alchamy.

The surname-style Alden has been on the rise in the US in recent years, while tree-inspired Rowan is a top choice. Combine this with the popularity of names ending in -er such as Carter and Parker and it makes sense why Alder is now 4 times as popular as it was a decade ago. Given to 125 boys in a recent year, it could be a modern way to honor an "Al".

Amari is a name that's rising in popularity for both boys and girls in the US, used last year for about 2000 baby boys and 1000 baby girls. It's among the Top 20 gender neutral names.

Amory is the kind of executive-sounding surname name that became popular in the 1990s. Amory Blaine is the protagonist of the F. Scott Fitzgerald novel, This Side of Paradise.

Similar to Andrew, but with a refreshingly different origin and meaning.

One of the new color names that is catching on, invoking a calm, blue-green-sea feeling.

Astrological name retains a hippielike Age of Aquarius feel.

Arbor is a quirky nature name with holiday vibes.

Arden is a gender-neutral name that's sleek and stylish but always seems to bob just below the surface of popularity, despite ticking all the boxes with its fashionable two-syllable, N-ending shape and its awesome nature-inspired meanings. In the 2021 US statistics, 41 percent of the babies named Arden were boys to 59 percent girls.

Ari, the short form of Ariel (or any other Ari- beginning name, such as Aristotle) stands up better as a boys’ name than its progenitor does. It is also short for Aristotle, as in Onassis, and is a prominent character on TV's Entourage -- the uberagent Ari Gold.

This name of an early Greek Christian philosopher comes with a wizened, ancient air about it. Still, perhaps the nickname Ari might help it work for a baby to grow into.

Similar in sound to Harley, Marley, Arlo, and Ari, this surname-style name was a fast rising choice in the UK in 2023.

Best remembered as one of the boys in "Old Yeller" and the title of a late 1990s HBO sitcom, "Arliss," featuring sports agent Arliss Michaels. Also sometimes heard as a girl's name and a surname (as in early film star George Arliss).

Quirky cool Arlo is now well and truly back. Last year it broke into the US Top 200 boy names and consistently ranks among the most popular boy names on Nameberry.

This name has a nice mythological, historical, Three Musketeers-ish ring.

Best known as the princess of the Elves in Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, Arwen is a fantasy-inspired choice that feels perfectly down to earth. In 2022, it entered the UK Top 400, making it one of the fastest rising names, more than doubling in use from the previous year.